Review: Tissot Heritage 1948 Chronograph

Review: Tissot Heritage 1948 Chronograph

There?s a phrase in French that the English language has no equivalent for: jolie laide. Roughly translated, it means unconventionally beautiful, with the added subtext that the person or thing in question is made more attractive by its unusual features. If there was ever a watch that exemplified jolie laide, this is it: the Tissot Heritage 1948 Chronograph. It?s classically inspired (taking inspiration from, naturally, a 1948 piece of Tissot?s back catalog) and beautifully proportioned, but with a few twists that set it apart from the norm. Is this enough to propel this watch above its more traditional-looking brethren" Let?s dig in.

$1450

Review: Tissot Heritage 1948 Chronograph

Case
Stainless steel

Movement
ETA 2894-2

Dial
Silver

Lume
n/a

Lens
Hesalite

Strap
Milanese mesh (also leather)

Water Resistance
30 meters

Dimensions
39.5mm x 48mm

Thickness
11.9mm

Lug Width
20mm

Crown
Push/pull

Warranty
Yes

Price
$1450

The case of the Tissot Heritage 1948 Chronograph immediately draws attention with its fantastic bombé lugs, but the full package really starts to shine on closer inspection. The wide, sharply sloping and polished bezel catches the light at almost any angle, visually compressing an already thin watch even flatter on the wrist. It offers handsome contrast with the thin, lightly brushed mid-case. Broad, flat pushers coupled with a thin pillbox crown help to keep the side profile slim as well. The lugs themselves are still the highlight of the show, with sharp faceting and a gorgeous, organic twist. They curve downward to hug the wrist better than their length would suggest.The overall size of the piece is something else worth mentioning. It?s a rare occurrence for a brand to put out a new chronograph in the 39-millimeter range, and after experiencing this one I can?t help but wish that would change. The Heritage 1948 wears brilliantly, feeling compact and vintage on the wrist while the tapering bezel helps to give the dial more presence than one would expect. So far, everything here is conventionally attractive (and very much so).
This idea of jolie laide creeps in around back, however, with the ornate and fascinating case back. I wrote when the Heritage 1948 Chronograph was first unveiled at Baselworld 2017 that this case back didn?t read visually as 1948-esque at all, and I stand by that initial impression. If anything, this split display window with its oversized boilerplate and ornate French-curve filigree feels like a page out of the Old West?like a window etching on a stagecoach, steam engine or a saloon decoration. It?s not unattractive, but it?s certainly unusual. The split window itself, on the other hand, offers a view of an impressively finished ETA 2894-2, a much appreciated addition.

Most of the dial is pitch-perfect mid-century beauty. The light silver of the main dial is surprisingly dynamic, going from a flat off-white to a sparkling metallic te...

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